HU EDUCATION AND EXAMINATION REGULATIONS FOR MASTER S DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Transcription

1 HU Education and Examination Regulations Master s degree programmes Version September 2013 HU University of Applied Science Utrecht Utrecht, 1 September 2013 Reference to the source is obligatory. Multiplication for personal use or internal use is permitted. HU Product number: (SZ/J/ /39

2 Sixth version, determined by the Executive Board on 8 February 2013, approved by the Central Participation Council on 13 February This version comes into effect on 1 September Previous version: determined by the Executive Board on 6 March 2012, approved by the Central Participation Council on 21 March Please notice that this document is a translation of the Dutch regulation. In case of a dissimilarity between the Dutch and the English interpretation of a clause, the Dutch interpretation is leading. In that case no rights may be derived from the translation. Copies of these Education and Examination Regulations will be made available to students at each faculty, with Chapter 10 only including the text that relates to the relevant faculty. The content of Chapter 10 relating to other faculties, can be consulted on the following website: 2/39

3 Contents 1 PREAMBLE 4 2 DEFINITIONS 6 Article 1 Definitions GENERAL STIPULATIONS 11 Article 2 Statutory foundations Article 3 Scope Article 4 Education in Dutch Article 5 Publication EXAMINATION BOARDS: 13 Article 6 Appointment, authorities, and work procedures Article 7 Composition and appointments Article 8 Examiners Article 9 Examination Board request procedure ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE 17 Article 10 Admission requirements Article 11 Admission procedure Article 12 Study programme Article 13 Study load Article 14 General design requirements Article 15 Design of work-study programmes Article 16 Study counselling and progress Article 16a Admission restrictions for specialisations Article 17 Work placement and practical assignments Article 18 Financial contributions DESIGN OF FINAL EXAMINATIONS AND COURSE EXAMINATIONS 22 Article 19 Course examinations and final examinations Article 20 Registering for courses Article 21 Compulsory attendance Article 22 Content of course and final examinations Article 23 Organisation of course and final examinations Article 24 Registering for course examinations Article 25 Course examination opportunities Article 26 Compulsory identification for course examinations Article 27 Publication of course examination results Article 28 Terms for assessment and inspection Article 29 Irregularities Article 30 Facilities Article 31 Exemptions Article 32 Storing course and final examination work CERTIFICATES AND TITLES 33 Article 33 Certificates Article 34 Degrees and titles Article 35 Graduating 'with distinction' or 'with merit' CLOSING STATEMENTS 36 Article 36 Objection procedure Article 37 Further HU regulations Article 38 Unforeseen circumstances Article 39 Implementation /39

4 1 PREAMBLE The Higher Education and Research Act (Wet op het hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek; WHW; hereinafter referred to as the Act ) is the basis for the regulatory framework for higher education. This Act lays down provisions for the organisation and accreditation of study programmes, the organisation of management, student and employee participation, and the student's legal status. The Education and Examination Regulations (EER) for master s degree programmes regulate the rights and obligations of all students enrolled in master s degree programmes at the university, in respect of education, course examinations and final examinations. These regulations relate to the funded master s degree programme in the sense of Article 7.3a of the Higher Education and Research Act (Wet op het Hoger Onderwijs en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; WHW; hereinafter referred to as the Act ) which, due to their status of funded programmes must comply with the provisions of the Act, as well as to the nonfunded master s degree programmes provided by the university, to which the provisions of the Act do not apply. University-wide education and examination regulations applicable to all master's degree programmes provided by the university are desirable. Firstly, because both funded and non-funded master s degree programmes must be accredited and entered in the Central Register of Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes (CROHO). Secondly, standard education and examination regulations for all master s degree programmes provided by the university are desirable where quality is concerned, since they will make the quality of the study programmes mutually comparable and assessable. For the same reason, these regulations are, insofar as possible, in line with the existing EER for the HU bachelor's degree programmes. On the grounds of Article 7.13 of the Act, Education and Examination Regulations (EER) (Onderwijs- en Examenregeling; OER) have to be established for each study programme or a group thereof. Within HU, the Education and Examination Regulations comprise a university-wide part, a faculty-specific part (Chapter 10), and a programme-specific part (the Programme EER). These three parts complement one another and are indivisibly interconnected. The university-wide part and the faculty-specific part (Chapter 10) together make up the joint HU EER. The Programme EER have been integrated into study guides and are the most relevant to students and lecturers. The HU EER contain adequate and clear information about the study programme or group of programmes, and apply to all full-time, part-time, and work-study students insofar as the text does not state otherwise. Some provisions of the university-wide part of the HU EER have been regulated in more detail in the faculty-specific Chapter 10; if so, reference will be made to Chapter 10 in the article. The provisions in Chapter 10 solely apply to the students registered at the faculty concerned. Furthermore, Chapter 10 provides a brief summary of the most important information (Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes data, entry requirements, etc.) for all the study programmes provided by the relevant faculty. The HU EER outline the rights and obligations of all HU students with respect to education, final examinations, and course examinations. The HU EER are based both on the Act and on the general policy of our university. The HU EER are determined by the Executive Board. Whenever the term study programme is used in the HU EER, it should be read as the master's degree programme. (For definitions of terminology, see Article 1.) Separate EER apply to the bachelor's degree programmes. 4/39

5 In the HU EER, it is indicated as to which items have been regulated in more detail in the study guides. This primarily concerns the organisation of education; for each study programme, specific rules have been set for the further detailing and specifying of the HU EER. In this context, the HU EER refers to the study guides. Programme Management Boards are thus given the specific authority to include detailed regulations in the study guides for the programme(s) concerned. The study guide also includes general information regarding the university's outlook on education and its students' position, as well as the rights that are granted to these students. In the development of the study guide, the provisions of the higher regulations (read: HU EER for master s degree programmes) should be recognised. After all, the different sets of regulations are intended to complement each other. In case of inconsistency, the higher regulations always prevail. The information in the study guide prevails over the information in the programme guidelines. Wherever the HU EER text corresponds to the Act, the number of the relevant article of the Act has been added between brackets. For the purpose of the readability of the HU EER, only the most relevant provisions of the Act have been included. In the explanatory notes on the HU EER, the text of the Act naturally prevails. Therefore, please refer to the Act if need be. The EER and the study guide will be redetermined annually and will replace the previous version that then no longer applies. If old rules must be maintained, transitional regulations will be adopted, specifying to whom and to what date the old rules still apply. The EER and study guide for a specific academic year apply to all students registered in that academic year. 5/39

6 2 DEFINITIONS Article 1 Definitions The following definitions are used in these regulations: 1. Department: An organisational unit at a faculty, responsible for providing: - one or more bachelor s degree programmes at that faculty, as well as their associated departmental bodies (Institute or cluster) if any, and/or: - one or more master s degree programmes at that faculty, as well as their associated departmental bodies (Academy) if any, and/or: - one or more part-time bachelor s degree programmes or part-time master s degree programmes and/or activities such as commercial courses and services provided by that faculty, as well as their associated departmental bodies (Centre), all this as regulated in the Faculty Organisation Decree determined by the Faculty Director. 2. Department Director 1 : The director of a department whose role and authority are governed by the Faculty Authorisation Sub-Decree (Faculteitssubmandateringsbesluit) as determined by the Faculty Director. 3. Appeal: The legal procedure before the Examination Appeals Tribunal or the Disputes Advisory Committee 2, as provided for in the HU Student Legal Protection Regulations. 4. Objection: The legal procedure before the Examination Board or another body issuing a decision with legal consequences with the intention of that same body reviewing the decision as provided for in the HU Student Legal Protection Regulations. 5. Executive Board: The executive body of the university, also the Institutional Board of Stichting Hogeschool Utrecht (HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht Foundation) pursuant to Article 10.8 of the Act whose roles and competences are governed by the Statutes of the Stichting Hogeschool Utrecht. 6. Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes (CROHO): One of the legal duties of the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO), the educational services agency at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, is the registration and publication of the details of study programmes provided by funded and assigned higher education institutes. These details are entered in the Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes, which is managed by DUO. 7. CROHO study programme: A study programme registered in CROHO, the Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes. 1 2 In case a department has two or more directors, this should be read as Departmental Board throughout this decree. In Article 7.63a, the Act refers to the Dispute Advisory Committee for objection. In order to clearly distinguish the procedure from the (previous) procedure for objections within the faculty, HU chooses to also refer to this as an appeals procedure. 6/39

7 8. Course: Equivalent of the legal term educational unit. A cohesive whole of knowledge, insight, and skills to be acquired, which is part of the study programme. A course can also relate to the practical preparation for the professional practice in terms of the education in a work-study programme, insofar as these activities take place under the supervision of a department. An Examination Board can, on conditions set by that Board, also recognise as a course the work performed by a part-time student (7.3.2 and 7.27). The study load of a course is expressed in whole credits (see also: European Credit). 9. Part-examination: An investigation into a student's knowledge, insight, and/or skills with a formal assessment of the outcomes wherein an investigation is part of the course examination. No ECs are awarded for successfully passing a part-examination; ECs are only awarded for full course examinations. 10. Part-time study programme: A study programme organised in such a way as to allow a student to work alongside his or her education. In certain circumstances, certain activities may be recognised as an educational unit acknowledged as a course, and the competences acquired in that course will be examined (7.27). 11. Work-study programme: A study programme that is designed in such a manner that attending classes during one or more periods is alternated with professional practice related to those classes. The study programme consists of an educational and professional practice component. The professional practice is part of the educational programme and, therefore, credits may be granted. (7.7.2) 12. European Credit (EC): A European Credit (EC) is the unit of study load in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). One European Credit equals 28 hours of study. 13. Examination: The final programme assessement. A final examination shall be attached to each study programme. An examination may comprise an investigation into the student's knowledge, insight, and skills conducted by the Examination Board itself. 14. Examination Board: A Board instituted in accordance with Article 7.12 of the Act for the purpose of holding, organising and coordinating, and assuring the quality of course examinations and final examinations for one or more study programmes. 15. Examiner: A person assigned by the Examination Board, who is charged with holding the course examinations and determining the results thereof. The Examination Board may also designate experts from outside the study programme as examiners. 16. External student (extraneus): Students registered with the university as an external student pursuant to Article 7.32 et seq. of the Act. An external student is not entitled to follow a degree programme, but may, however, undertake course and final examinations and make use of certain student facilities. 7/39

8 17. Faculty: An organisational unit of the university, responsible for a number of associated study programmes, as included in the HU Organisation Decree, as determined by the Executive Board, and the faculty bodies, as included in the Faculty Organisation Decree determined by the Faculty Director. 18. Faculty Director: The director of a faculty whose roles and competences are governed by the HU Authorisation Decree (Mandateringsbesluit) as determined by the Executive Board. 19. Certificate: The documentary evidence the diploma presented by the Examination Board, which conveys that the final examination for the relevant study programme has been passed successfully (7.11). 20. The university: The HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht as maintained by the Stichting Hogeschool Utrecht. 21. The HU Student Legal Protection Desk: A facility established by the Executive Board as described in Article 7.59a where students are able to submit complaints and appeals, and that ensures that these are referred to the appropriate university body. The HU Student Legal Protection Desk is part of the Student Affairs Office. 22. HU Course Catalogue: A public register that describes all the study programmes, elective courses, and pre-master s programmes offered by the university, including the target groups, and entry requirements, if any. 23. Learning outcomes: Learning outcomes are derived from the competences set for a course and describe what a student should know and be able to do and/or understand in order to demonstrate that they possess certain competences. 24. Learning path-independent examinations: A learning path-independent examination is the assessment of knowledge, insight, and skills on the basis of learning outcomes, irrespective of the (type of) learning path in which these competences were developed. The assessment criteria are based on learning outcomes that are not derived from a specific learning programme. The assessment is learning path-independent in the sense that the assessment criteria and methods are determined by the competence domain. 25. Master s degree programme: A Higher Professional Education programme as referred to in Article 7.3a and 7.3b of the Act. Upon completion of this study programme, the student is awarded the degree of Master. See also: study programme. 26. Education and Examination Regulations (EER): The regulations for study programmes or groups of study programmes as intended in Article 7.13 of the Act. The principal education and examination regulations for the entire university are described in the HU Education and Examination Regulations. Further details of, and additions to, these regulations at the faculty level are included in Chapter 10 and, at the programme level, they are incorporated in the study guides for the study programmes. 8/39

9 27. Study programme: A cohesive part of courses, aimed at achieving the well described objectives concerning the knowledge, insight, and skills hat should be possessed by the person who completes the study programme. Study programmes are designed as full-time, part-time, or work-study programmes. (7.3.2). Whenever the term study programme is used in these regulations, it should be read as master s degree programme. 28. Programme committee: A committee as referred to in Article 10.3c of the Act. For each study programme or a group of programmes provided by a department, a programme committee is appointed. Its organisation, tasks, authorities, and procedures are regulated by the Programme Committee Regulations as determined by the Faculty Director. 29. OSIRIS: The electronic study progress system for all study programmes and students at HU, in which the study details have been entered for each student. The study details are governed by the Student Personal Data Privacy Regulations of the university. 30. Specialisation: A cohesive whole of courses within a study programme, aimed at the acquisition of specific indepth knowledge and skills. 31. Student: An individual who is registered (for a full-time, part-time, or work-study programme) with the university, pursuant to Article 7.32 et seq. Students' rights and obligations are described in the HU Student Charter drawn up by the Executive Board. 32. Student counsellor: The member of staff, as referred to in Article 7.34, paragraph 1, sub d of the Act, whose duty it is to advise, guide, and, if necessary, represent the interests of students, and furthermore fulfil an alerting and advisory role in his or her own work field within the faculty and university. 33. Study guide: An information guide for students of one or more study programmes determined by the Departmental Management Board. The study guide includes, among other things, the Programme EER, which is a more detailed and practical elaboration on the HU EER and the faculty-specific Chapter 10 at the study programme level. 34. Academic year: The time period that starts on 1 September and ends on 31 August of the subsequent year, as referred to in Article 1.1 of the Act. 35. Study load: The standardised required time for each study programme and each course, expressed in whole ECs. (7.4.1). The study load, and the components it comprises, is indicated and motivated in the course description in the study guide. 36. Study career counsellor: Mentor, study adviser, or another staff member assigned to study counselling (whether certified or not). 9/39

10 37. Course examination: A course examination shall be attached to each course. A course examination may comprise a maximum of two part-examinations per unit of 5 European Credits (EC), unless it is determined in Chapter 10 that course examinations for the degree courses mentioned may be comprised of multiple part-examinations. The course examination comprises an investigation into the knowledge, insight, and/or skills of the candidate, as well as the assessment of the outcomes of that investigation (7.3.3 and ). 38. Variant: The design of the programme as being full-time, work-study, and part-time (7.7.1). 39. Declaration: The Examination Board may, on request, present to the person who has successfully passed more than one course examination and to whom no certificate can be presented, a declaration to be issued by the relevant Examination Board, which in any case shall include the course examinations that were successfully passed by the student. (7.11.5) 40. Full-time study programme: A full-time study programme is a study programme designed without taking into account any other activities but the educational activities. Activities in the form of work placements are part of the curriculum of the programme and may yield ECs. 41. Week: A period of seven consecutive days, with the exception of generally acknowledged holidays which have been entered in Osiris. The annual summer and Christmas break as determined by the HU Student Legal Protection Desk, only has a suspensive effect on the terms for objections and appeals. 42. WHW (Wet op het Hoger Onderwijs en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek): The Higher Education and Research Act as published in the Bulletin of Acts and Decrees (Staatsblad) 1992, no. 593, including subsequent additions and/or amendments. 10/39

11 3 GENERAL STIPULATIONS Article 2 Statutory foundations 1. At the university, the Education and Examination Regulations as referred to in Article 7.13 of the Act and in the HU Student Charter consists of 3 parts: - the general part of these HU Education and Examination Regulations for master s degree programmes, which applies to all master's degree programmes provided by the university; - Chapter 10 of the HU EER, which adds more faculty-specific details to some of the provisions in the general part and that only applies to the study programmes provided by the relevant faculty, and; - the Master s Degree Programme EER (included in the study guide), which is a more detailed and practical elaboration on the HU EER at the study programme level. The general part and the faculty-specific part (Chapter 10) together make up the joint HU EER. 2. As for the ranking order of the above-mentioned regulations, it applies that, in case of inconsistency, the "higher regulations" prevail over the elaboration thereon. The content of the study guide prevails over the contents of documents that may be regarded as an elaboration on the provisions set out in the study guide. Article 3 Scope 1. These regulations apply to the master s degree programmes provided by HU which, as referred to in Article 7.3a of the Act, are funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, as well as the master s degree programmes as referred to in Article 7.3b of the Act, which are not funded. The Education and Examination Regulations apply to all students enrolled in this academic year 3, and replaces all previous versions. 2. Wherever these regulations refer to final examinations or course examinations, these should be understood to also include the parts of a final or course examination, which are assessed separately in a part examination, unless the text explicitly states otherwise. 3. Wherever these regulations refer to a study programme, this may also be read as a whole of two or more related study programmes. 4. These regulations apply to all full-time, part-time, and work-study students enrolled in the current academic year, insofar as the text does not state or imply otherwise. These regulations only apply to external students,insofar as the provisions are important in view of the content and the taking of course or final examinations. Article 4 Education in Dutch 1. Classes shall be taught in Dutch. The course and final examinations shall be held in Dutch. 2. In deviation from the first paragraph, another language may be used: a. when it concerns a study programme that relates to that other language; b. when it concerns a guest lecture that is given by a lecturer who speaks a different language; 3 The EER shall be redetermined annually and replace the previous version which then no longer applies. Old rules, therefore, no longer apply, unless transitional regulations have been adopted. 11/39

12 c. If the specific nature 4, design, or quality of the class(es), or the origin of the students, make it necessary - in which case, the Code of Conduct relevant to the programme is the included in Chapter 10 (7.2). It shall be indicated in the study guide whether a class is taught in a language other than Dutch. Article 5 Publication The Faculty Director shall be responsible for publishing the following in a timely fashion, before the start of the academic year 5 (in any case before 1 July of the previous academic year), and in such a manner that prospective students can make a proper judgement as to the content and design of the education provided and the course and final examinations: a. the courses offered by the faculty; b. the broad outline of the study guide. The information shall be presented in such a way that the future student is also able to compare study programme options and that the agreements with student representative bodies and/or ministerial regulations are followed. 4 This concerns, for instance, study programmes with an international curriculum, or a curriculum taught in English. In the HU Enrolment Regulations it is further determined as to which language test and which result should be achieved in accordance with the International Student Code of Conduct. 5 Monitoring is a task of HU Services. 12/39

13 4 EXAMINATION BOARDS: Article 6 Appointment, authorities, and work procedures 1. For each study programme or group of programmes provided by an institute, or for all study programmes provided by the faculty, the Faculty Director shall establish an Examination Board and appoint its members on the basis of their expertise in the area of the relevant study programme or group of programmes. (7.12 and 7.12a) In case there are more Examination Boards within a faculty, the Faculty Director is responsible for a meeting of the Examination Board Chairs at least twice per year. 2. The Faculty Director shall ensure that the Examination Board(s) at his or her faculty have at their disposal a joint Secretariat with an administrative Secretary as a member of that Secretariat. 3. The Faculty Director shall ensure that the independent and expert functioning of the Examination Board is sufficiently assured. (7.12a) 4. The Examination Board shall determine, in an objective and competent manner, whether a student meets the conditions set by the EER in respect of the knowledge, insight, and skills that are needed to obtain a degree. (7.12) 5. In addition to the duties and authorities mentioned elsewhere in these regulations, the Examination Board shall be charged with: a. Assuring the quality of course and final examinations, without prejudice to the provisions in Article 8 of these regulations; b. Advising the Programme Management in determining the assessment policy; c. Determining the guidelines and instructions within the scope of the EER, for assessing and determining the course and final examination results; d. Granting exemption from taking one or more course examinations (7.12b); e. Presenting diplomas (7.11); f. Determining examination results; g. Appointing examiners; h. Passing judgement on examination irregularities; i. Approving elective courses and minors. 6. The Examination Board shall not be allowed to assign or delegate all or part of its authorities to other bodies or members of staff. The Examination Board may, however, charge one or more of its members with making preparations for decision-making, and may seek advice from (a committee of) experts. 7. The Examination Board shall write an annual report of its activities and submits this report to the Institutional Board and, also for discussion, to the Faculty Director (7.12b). 8. The Examination Board Regulations, which are referred to in the overview of faculty-specific and/or programme-specific regulations in Chapter 10, include detailed rules as regards the duties and authorities of Examination Boards. 13/39

14 Article 7 Composition and appointments 1. Prior to their appointment, the Faculty Director shall hear the members of the relevant Examination Board. (7.12a) 2. The members of the Examination Board shall meet the following requirements: - all members are to complete, or have completed, the Examination Board course 6 provided by the Human Recourse Office (Stafdienst P&O); - at least one member of the Examination Board is an expert specifically in the area of assessment policy; - at least one member of the Examination Board is employed as a lecturer for one of the programmes within the relevant group of programmes. (7.12a) 3. An external expert may also be appointed as a member of the Examination Board. The Examination Board may also consult an external expert. 4. A person who holds a position that may give rise to (the appearance of) a conflict of interest, in any case including a managerial position within the department responsible for the relevant study programme or group of programmes, cannot be appointed as a member of the Examination Board. 5. With the appointments it shall also be stated as to which of the members act as Chair and Deputy Chair. The Faculty Board may further appoint an administrative Secretary. 6. The appointments shall take place for a period as laid down in the appointment decision. The members can be re-appointed each time, as long the requirements as referred to in paragraph 2 are met, unless otherwise determined in the faculty-specific elaboration on the Examination Board Regulations. Their Board membership shall be terminated: a. when the period mentioned in the appointment decision expires; or: b. when the person concerned accepts a managerial position within the department responsible for the relevant study programme or group of programmes; or will take on another position or sidejob that may give rise to (the appearance of) a conflict of interests; or c. when the person concerned is no longer involved in the relevant study programme or group of programmes; d. at the own request of a member of the Examination BoardSuch, at the discretion of the Faculty Board. 7. The appointment decision shall be taken before the start of an academic year. The composition of the Examination Board for a study programme shall be announced to the students in a timely fashion. The term of appointment commences on 1 October. 6 This comprises basic training and annual continuing education, according to a training schedule, which is updated by the P&O department on an annual basis. This schedule can be obtained from the P&O department on request. 14/39

15 Article 8 Examiners 1. For the purpose of holding the course examinations, determining the results, and entering those in OSIRIS, the Examination Board, on the recommendation of the Academy Director, shall appoint staff members 7 or external experts who are charged with providing the education for the relevant study programme or group of programmes. Preferably at least two examiners shall be appointed for each course or group of courses. The examiners are not allowed to assign or delegate these authorities to others. 2. The Examination Board may also designate experts from outside the study programme 8 as examiners. This is allowed if at least the following three criteria are met: - the person concerned has at least completed a master's degree programme; - the person concerned is attached to the university for a longer period of time (at least also for the next educational period); - the person concerned can demonstrate that, on the grounds of previous experiences, he or she is capable of holding examinations and assess whether a student meets the required higher education level, or has completed the module Toetsen en beoordelen of the HUexpertisecentrum docent HBO. 3. The examiners shall provide the Examination Board with all the requested information. The examiner shall carry out the examination policy as determined by the director of the faculty or department. The Examination Board may provide the examiners with guidelines and instructions for that purpose. 4. The Examination Board may decide to revoke the appointment of an examiner if the examiner does not adhere to law and legislation or the guidelines for the Examination Board, or if his or her examinations repeatedly lack sufficient quality. Article 9 Examination Board request procedure 1. The student may submit to the Examination Board a letter of request if the student believes to have an interest in a decision by the Examination Board on the grounds of the EER, which decision involves the application or an actual deviation from the EER. The letter of request should be submitted to the Examination Board in writing or electronically, and in a timely fashion. 2. If a student submits to the Examination Board a request that involves an examiner who is a member of the Examination Board, the examiner concerned shall not take part in the deliberation on the request. (7.12b) 3. The letter of request shall be undersigned 9 and shall include at least: a) the name, address details, and student registration number of the sender; b) the date; c) the request and reasons for that request; d) the study programme and variant (full-time, part-time, work-study programme) in which the student is enrolled, as well as the code of the course to which the request is related, if applicable. 7 Below are employees with a contract in accordance with the CAO-HBO understood. 8 The so-called PNIL, staff without an employment contract 9 If the letter of request is submitted electronically, the student s signature is not necessary. 15/39

16 e) documentary evidence, if any. 4. Before taking its decision, the Examination Board may demand that the request be further motivated and/or supported by further documentary evidence. 5. The Examination Board shall inform the applicant of its decision by letter or in a timely fashion, in any case within a maximum 3 weeks of the receipt of the request. 6. The request procedure may be further regulated in the study guide. 7. If the Examination Board foresees that it will not be able to take a decision within the specified term, it shall inform the sender thereof within 2 weeks after the receipt of the request. The Board should then state the term within which it will make its decision, and the reasons for the delay. 8. In accordance with Article 45, decisions, as referred to in this article, are open to objections and appeals. In the decision itself, the student shall be informed of the possibility of submitting an objection and the prevailing term to do so. 9. If the provisions in the EER offer the possibility to do so, the Examination Board can deviate from a provision as laid down in the EER on a request to that effect made by the student and within the boundaries indicated in the EER. Such a decision should also be motivated in writing. The Examination Board may, in any case, not deviate from the provisions that relate to: - the prohibition on delegating authorities; - the grounds on which exemptions may be granted; - the standards for graduating with distinction or with merit; - the compensation regulations as referred to in Article 19, paragraph 4. 16/39

17 5 ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE Article 10 Admission requirements 10 Individuals may only register for a study programme if they satisfy the prior education and admission requirements set for the relevant study programme. The prior education and admission requirements are described in Chapter 10. (7.30b) Article 11 Admission procedure For the registration for a study programme a certificate of admission to the relevant study programme is required. Upon request, the Faculty Director shall issue a certificate of admission, if: a. the person concerned meets the prior education and admission requirements; and b. insofar as the Faculty Director has set a maximum to the number of persons that may register for the study programme, that maximum number is not exceeded. 2. The certificate of admission, as referred to in the first paragraph, shall relate to the academic year following the academic year during which that certificate is applied for, unless the Faculty Director decides otherwise (7.30a, paragraphs 3 and 5, 7.30b). 3. If the individual concerned does not satisfy the admission requirements, as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, but he or she may reasonably be expected to satisfy these requirements within a reasonable period of time, then he or she will be offered the opportunity to correct these shortcomings in order to satisfy the admissions requirements after all. The student can only be registered for the study programme once he or she meets the admission requirements (7.30 e) See also Articles 16 and 17 of the HU Enrolment Regulations. See also Articles 16 and 17 of the HU Enrolment Regulations. 17/39

18 6 STUDY PROGRAMME DESIGN Article 12 Study programme The university provides competence-focused and demand-driven education, which is described in the study guide. This shall in any case include: a. the objectives of the study programme; b. which qualities in the areas of knowledge, insight, and skills the student should have acquired upon the completion of the study programme; c. which professional attitude the student should have acquired upon the completion of the study programme; d. the content of the specialisations within the study programme. (7.13.2) Article 13 Study load 1. The study load of each study programme and each course is expressed in whole ECs. One credit equals 28 hours of study (7.4.1). 2. The total study load of a master s degree programme in higher professional education is 60 credits at minimum (7.4b.2). 3. On the basis of a legal obligation, the study programme may have a study load greater than 60 ECs. 4. The Executive Board may determine that the study load of a study programme has a study load greater than 60 ECs (7.4b.8). Article 14 General design requirements 1. In Chapter 10, it shall be indicated for each study programme as to whether it is designed as a fulltime, part-time, or work-study programme, and which other forms of differentiation in training programmes and/or duration and speed are available. (7.7 and ) 2. Study programmes focused on a certain profession with regard to which, or pursuant to the law, requirements have been set in respect of the knowledge, insight, and skills that the persons concerned should have acquired during the study programme for that profession, shall be designed in such a way that those participating in this study programme shall at the least have the possibility of meeting those requirements (7.6.1). Article 15 Design of work-study programmes 1. Notwithstanding the provisions in the previous articles in this chapter, the provisions in the following paragraphs of this article shall apply to the design of study-work programmes. 2. Per work-study programme, the study guide shall state: a. the minimum study load per educational unit; b. the minimum duration of the period or the minimum accumulative duration of the periods that are spent in the profession practice, and c. the minimum study load of the part of the study programme that is made up of the work in the professional practice, with a justification of the number of ECs (7.7.3 and 7.7.4). 18/39

19 3. With regard to the work in the professional practice within in a work-study programme, a three-party agreement will be concluded under civil law, between the Departmental Board of Directors, the student, and the company or organisation where the work will be performed. With due regard to the education and examination regulations, this agreement shall in any case arrange for: a. the term of effect of the agreement and the duration of the period or periods of the work in the professional practice; b. the supervision of the student; c. the qualities in the areas of knowledge, insight, and skills the student should acquire during the period or periods of working in the professional practice and the assessment thereof, and d. the cases, and the manner, in which the agreement can be dissolved prematurely. (7.7.5) Article 16 Study counselling and progress 1. The student shall be entitled to study counselling by, among others, a study career counsellor. In the study guide, it shall be indicated as to how the study counselling will take place. 2. The individual study progress shall be registered in OSIRIS. This registration shall provide insight into the interim study results as well as the total number of ECs achieved for the study programme by the end of an academic year (7.13.2). Article 16a Admission restrictions for specialisations 1. If a study programme allows more than one specialisation, the Examination Board may decide that the student enrolled in that study programme will only be admitted to one or more specialisations within that study programme. 2. The authority of the Examination Board as referred to in paragraph 1 shall apply only to the study programme or group of programmes classified as such in Chapter 10. A classification to this end shall only be possible if the nature and the content of the different specialisations within a study programme differ in such a way that classification is justified. 3. If a study programme is classified as a study programme with admission restrictions for specialisations, the student shall inform the Examination Board of his or her desired specialisation, with the submission of a list of the courses he or she has completed so far as well as the study results achieved. 4. In the application of paragraph 1, the Examination Board shall base its decision on: a. the student s study results, or b. the courses completed by the student, or c. a combination of a and b. The Examination Board shall give the student the opportunity to be heard before taking its decision. 5. In weighing the study results as referred to in paragraph 4, the Examination Board shall take into account the personal circumstances of the student. Article 35, paragraph 5 applies likewise. 6. In weighing the courses completed by the student as referred to in paragraph 4, the Examination Board shall assess whether the courses selected by the student sufficiently fit in with the specialisation desired by the student. 19/39

20 7. For the implementation of this article, further regulations shall be included in the study guide, in any case with respect to: a. the difference in nature and content of the specialisations; b. the required study results for the classified programme units; c. the connection between the programme units and the specialisations within the study programme; d. the timeframe in which the student has to notify the Examination Board of his or her choice. Article 17 Work placement and practical assignments 1. Study programmes that are specifically aimed at certain professions, shall in any case comprise a practical preparation for the professional practice. (7.6.3) 2. It shall be indicated in the study guide as to which activities or work shall be considered as part of the work placement and which courses shall constitute practical exercises. Where necessary, it shall also be indicated: a. which course examinations must be passed, before a student may start a work placement or practical exercises; b. which work placements or practical exercises must be completed before certain course examinations may be taken. (7.13.2) 3. With regard to work placements and practical exercises, the study guide shall in any case include regulations for: a. the duration and periods; b. the manner in which available places are divided or allocated; c. whatever is expected from the student in preparation; d. which costs are for the account of the student; e. which assessment standards apply; f. how and when assessment takes place; g. the possibilities of redoing (if the student failed), as well as interruption and early termination. (7.13.2) 4. The relevant students shall be informed of the regulations as referred to in paragraph 4 in a timely manner before the start of the academic year. Article 18 Financial contributions 1. The costs of educational necessities for personal use for the purpose of participating in education, the course examinations or the final examinations for the study programme in which the student is enrolled, shall be for the account of the student concerned. 2. The costs of educational facilities for the benefit of the students and the good of education, may, in all reasonability, be charged to the relevant students by the Faculty Director, unless these facilities are necessary considering the nature of the study programme. 3. The educational necessities as referred to in paragraph 1 and the educational facilities as referred to in paragraph 2 shall be classified as such in the study guide. 20/39

21 4. An estimate of the amount of the costs referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as the manner of payment of the costs referred to in paragraph 2, shall be announced in writing in, or on the basis of, the study guide to the relevant students in a timely manner, before the start of each academic year. 5. The student who, for demonstrable financial reasons, is unable to pay the costs of the educational facilities as referred to in paragraph 2, may submit a request to the Faculty Director for an alternative educational facility that is to be provided free of charge, or a financial facility or a release from the payment obligation. 6. Costs for activities based on voluntary participation are not eligible for compensation. 21/39

22 7 DESIGN OF FINAL EXAMINATIONS AND COURSE EXAMINATIONS Article 19 Course examinations and final examinations 1. A final examination shall be attached to every study programme. A course examination shall be attached to each course. A course examination may comprise a maximum of two part-examinations per unit of 5 ECs, unless it is determined in Chapter 10 that course examinations for the study programmes that are mentioned there may be comprised of multiple part-examinations. It is indicated in the course description in the study guide whether a course examination comprises part-examinations, and if it comprises more part-examinations than mentioned in the main provision above, the motivation for this deviation is also stated (7.3.3). If a certain result must be achieved for a part-examination, this is also indicated in the study guide. The weighting of the different part-examinations is also included in the study guide. If the course examination has been passed successfully (after weighing of any part-examinations), the ECs for the relevant course are awarded. 2. The Faculty Director shall allow students, who are enrolled in a study programme provided by the relevant faculty, the opportunity to take the course and final examinations required for that study programme. 3. If the course examinations for the courses within a study programme have been passed successfully, the examination will have been concluded, unless it has been determined in the study guide that the examination will also comprise an additional investigation conducted by the Examination Board itself. The study guide shall state to what items the additional investigation will relate (7.10.2). 4. An Examination Board can, under its own conditions, stipulate that not every course 12 examination must have been passed to determine that the final examination has been passed successfully. If compensation regulations are applicable, Chapter 10 shall include for which study programmes these are in effect, as well as the course examinations to which they apply and under which conditions (7.12b.3). Compensation is not permitted if this constitutes an infringement on the requirement that the student possesses the knowledge, insight, and skills that must be demonstrated within the scope of the examination. 5. Results of course examinations, part examinations, work placements, and practical exercises shall be valid during a period of 6 years, unless stated otherwise in the study guide. On the request of the student, the Examination Board may extend this period of validity, or demand an additional or replacement course examination in case the period of validity for a course examination has passed. 6. In consecutive academic years, the titles, formats, and/or contents of courses and course examinations may be modified or replaced. In the academic year following such modification or replacement, the student shall be granted at least two opportunities to take the course examination as based on the outdated course. Conversion tables and transitional regulations shall be published in the study guide. 12 This does not affect the possibility to compensate for the results of part-examinations within a single course (in which case there may be bottom marks set for the part-examinations, see paragraph 1). 22/39

23 7. The study guide shall further regulate: a. the order in which a course examination may, or should be, taken; b. where necessary, that the passing of course examinations is a condition for access to other course examinations (7.13.2). Article 20 Registering for courses 1. Participating in courses shall solely be possible after timely registration via OSIRIS. 2. The registration for a course shall in any case be possible until 2 weeks before the start of an educational period. 3. The student shall be responsible for the registration, unless determined otherwise in Chapter The student cannot register for the same course more than once in the same academic year, unless the study guide states otherwise or on the grounds of a request by the student to that effect. 5. Correct registration shall give the student the right to participate in the required courses within the relevant curriculum. Only in case of an elective course, a department may decide to not provide the elective course if the number of registrations is too small. An elective course for international students cannot be cancelled for this reason. Article 21 Compulsory attendance 1. In view of the taking of the relevant course examination, compulsory attendance for (a part of) a course may be imposed as regulated in the study guide, insofar as the assessment for the course so requires. 2. The Examination Board may grant a student exemption from compulsory attendance as referred to in the previous paragraph, whether or not under conditions for replacement study. (7.13) Article 22 Content of course and final examinations 1. The university shall provide competence-focused and demand-driven education, which means that the teaching of knowledge, insights, and skills is offered in mutual connection and can be traced back to the demands placed on graduates by the professional field. Each course examination and final examination shall comprise an investigation into the knowledge, insight, and skills of the student, as well as the assessment of the outcomes of that investigation. An Examination Board may instigate their own investigation into the knowledge, insight, and skills of the student, for instance on the grounds of the provisions of Article 38, paragraph 2 (7.10.1). 2. The results of the course examination shall be expressed in OSIRIS as follows: a) the words Pass (abbreviated as "VD") or Fail (abbreviated as "NVD"); b) or the indication "not present" (abbreviated as "NA") if the student did not finish the course examination; c) or the words "Not Valid" (abbreviated as "NG") if the result has been annulled by the Examination Board due to irregularities, or on the grounds of the provision of paragraph 4 of this article; 13 Students are often registered for the study programme by the department responsible. This has not (as yet) been uniformly arranged within the university. 23/39

24 d) or in the numbers of 1 to 10 on a 10-point scale, whereby the assessment is expressed in whole numbers; to this end, the numbers with a decimal of 5 or higher shall be rounded up, and the numbers with a decimal lower than 5 shall be rounded down; e) or in the numbers of 1.0 to 10.0 on a 10-point scale, whereby the assessment is expressed in whole numbers; to this end, the numbers with a decimal of 5 or higher shall be rounded up, and the numbers with a decimal lower than 5 shall be rounded down; Other results cannot be processed in OSIRIS. If the assessment involves multiple examiners, they will jointly arrive at one assessment. 3. A course or final examination shall be successfully passed if, before rounding up or down, at least a mark of 5.5 has been achieved In case of a reasonable suspicion of irregularities during a course examination, the Examination Board may instigate an additional investigation, which comprises an examination equivalent to the original examination. If this additional investigation is not passed, the result achieved will be discarded and the result of NG will be registered in Osiris. Article 23 Organisation of course and final examinations 1. Examiners and others involved in a course or final examination shall ensure that with regard to the questions and assignments, the strictest secrecy is upheld until the assignments have been handed to the candidates. 2. Without prejudice to the provisions elsewhere in these regulations, Chapter 10 and/or the study guide shall at the least include the regulations for the following subjects: a. the procedure and timeframes for registration for examinations; b. the periods in which the examinations will be held, and the number of times per year; c. whether, when, and how resits take place; d. the manner in which the examinations will be held, and the available time; e. the resources allowed when taking the examinations; f. whether, and if so, under which conditions oral examinations are accessible to students, departmental staff, and/or others interested; g. the supervision during the written course examinations 15 and the report on the proceedings. The report shall in any case include a initialled list of the students who took the examination; h. the examination assessments and the determination of the results; i. how, when, and during which period the student, who sat a written 16 examination, may inspect his or her assessed work, as well the associated questions, assignments, and assessment standards; j. the special cases in which the Examination Board has the authority to deviate from the rules in the EER and/or study guide. This authority applies, in any case, to items d and f and not as regards the subjects mentioned in Article 9, paragraph 9. k. the manner in which the times and terms referred to in this paragraph will be announced. (7.13.2) 14 As an exception to the usual rules for the rounding of marks, a mark that is lower than 5.50 before rounding shall be rounded to 5.4 (or to 5 if the assessment is to be expressed in whole numbers). 15 Written is also understood to include the use of a computer. 16 Written is also understood to include the use of a computer. 24/39

25 Article 24 Registering for course examinations 1. Participating in a course examinations is solely possible after timely registration via OSIRIS. The registration rules together with the registration dates for course examinations shall be included in the study guide. 2. A student who has enrolled in a course shall be automatically registered for the first examination for that course. If a student has registered for a course examination (whether automatically, or not) and does not wish to take it, the student should cancel this registration. Deregistration is possible until one week after the final registration date for the relevant course examination. 3. Students themselves are responsible for registering for course examinations 17 and resits. 4. It may be determined in the study guide and/or Chapter 10 that post-registration shall also be possible, and under which conditions. Article 25 Course examination opportunities 1. It shall be regulated in the study guide whether, and if so, how, how often, when, and for which (parts of) courses, registrations for course examinations can take place. The number of times per year that a course examination is offered is expressed in course examination opportunities. The number of times per year that a student is allowed to take the course examination will be expressed in the number of course examination sittings. Depending on the provisions in Chapter 10, the student shall be granted a minimum of two and a maximum of three course examination sittings for the same course in the same academic year. The department may deviate from these numbers and; - award an extra sitting to (potentially) delayed students, if the policy in this respect has been determined and it is clear that students are considered for this arrangement. - in the context of reducing the fall behind of students, award an sitting to groups of students, for examinations with a maximum of 10 ECs, if the policy in this respect has been determined and it is clear that students are considered for this arrangement. If in a general decision the Examination Board has annulled the results for a certain course examination due to observed irregularities, an additional course examination opportunity for the relevant course will be offered. 2. In deviation from paragraph 1, it may be determined in the study guide that only one course examination sitting is attached to a course in the same year, solely if a resit in the same year in all reasonability is not possible considering the nature of the course Resitting a course examination that has already been taken will solely be possible if the relevant (part of the) course examination was failed, unless otherwise determined in Chapter 10. Resitting an examination nullifies all previous assessments. 4. The student who is registered for a course examination but does not take it, loses a course examination sitting In other words, the registration for course examinations that does not automatically take place when registering for the course. This may be the case for work placements or similar work formats. 25/39

26 5. In case of not taking the course examination due to circumstances beyond the student's control, the Examination Board may award the student an additional course examination sitting on his or her request. Circumstances beyond one's control shall be taken to be one of the following: a. illness; b. physical, sensory, or any other functional limitation; c. pregnancy; d. special circumstances, including the special circumstances of the partner whom the requester shares a home or has a LAT (living apart together) relationship with; e. any other situation beyond the student's control, such as to be assessed by the Examination Board, due to which the student was unable to take course examinations or participate in the education upon which those were based. 6. The Examination Board may also grant an additional course examination resitting if; a. the student has at least taken the examination once; and b. there is the danger of a delay in studies or graduation of at least 3 months. Within these boundaries, the Examination Board may determine any further policy, which is to be incorporated in the study guide. 7. If the student is entitled to a course examination resitting, he or she may submit a request to the Examination Board in order to be allowed to complete a replacement assignment. That is to say, to take it in a different manner than what is indicated in the study guide as the regular format. The Examination Board may grant this request if: a) it concerns requests ex Article 25, paragraph 4 of these regulations; or b) the student has taken the regular course examination at least twice, and c) the course lecturer issues a positive recommendation, and d) there is the danger of a delay in studies or graduation of at least 3 months. Within these boundaries, the Examination Board may determine any further policy, which is to be incorporated in the study guide. If the Examination Board grants this request, the Examination Board will ensure that the replacement assignment is qualitatively equal to the usual course examination. Article 26 Compulsory identification for course examinations 1. When taking course examinations, the student shall be obliged to show a valid student card. In view of fraud prevention, the student must also be able to show a valid ID upon request. 2. If a student is unable to show a valid student card, taking the course examination shall only be possible after showing a course examination pass in combination with a valid ID. 3. Solely considered a valid ID shall be: a. a valid passport; b. a valid European identity card; c. a valid Dutch or international driving licence; d. a valid refugee document. 4. For the issue of a course examination pass, it shall in any case be required that the student: a. has lawfully been registered as a student, and b. is able to show an ID, as referred to in paragraph 3, when applying for the pass, and c. has registered for the course examination to which the course examination pass applies. 26/39

27 5. Students who have not yet received a student card, shall be able to apply for a course examination pass, free of charge, in the week prior to the course examination period. This course examination pass shall be valid during the period indicated. 6. Students who did receive a student card, but do no longer have it in their possession due to loss, theft, or otherwise, may apply for a course examination pass during the course examination period. An administrative fee will be charged. This course examination pass shall solely be valid on the day of issue. The study guide may lay down further conditions as regard the issue. 7. The administrative fee as referred to in paragraph 6 amounts to per course examination pass, up to a maximum of per course examination period. If the student is able to demonstrate to the Examination Board that the student card cannot be shown due to circumstances beyond the student s control, the amount shall be refunded. Article 27 Publication of course examination results 1. As evidence that a course examination has been taken, the result shall be published by the relevant examiner or examiners through OSIRIS, which is equivalent to the issue of documentary evidence 19. In deviation from this it applies that the publication of the result of an oral course examination will be carried out by the examiner or examiners presenting documentary evidence to the student (7.11.1). 2. The indication of NA (Not Present), which is used if a student registered for a written course examination but did not take it, shall be considered to be an examination result. 3. For the administration of study results that were not achieved at the university, the student should contact the Examination Board for their study programme. Article 28 Terms for assessment and inspection 1. With regard to the announcement of course examination results as referred to in Article 23, paragraph 2 sub g, the following terms shall apply: a. a maximum of three weeks after holding the course examination 20 ; b. on the day the oral course examination took place. The result of an oral course examination should also be entered in OSIRIS within 3 weeks after the examination took place. To the publication of the results for the course examinations for Dutch Sign Language and Interpretation Skills and Dutch Sign Language Teaching, a different term applies of a maximum of 5 weeks after the course examination took place, insofar as the course examinations were recorded per group on a DVD. 2. The student shall have the right to inspect the written 21 examination work as referred to in Article 23, paragraph 2 sub j within three weeks after the result has been announced. 3. Marks shall be published in OSIRIS, subject to arithmetical, entry, or other errors. Four weeks after the publication in OSIRIS, a result shall be deemed definitive. After four weeks, a result can only be modified with the approval of the Examination Board. 19 The procedure for study results that have not been achieved at HU will be included in the study guide This, therefore, includes all course examination formats with the exception of oral examinations, see sub b. Written is also understood to include the use of a computer. 27/39

28 4. The Examination Board may in special cases deviate from the aforementioned terms, provided the interests of the student are not disproportionately harmed by doing so. Article 29 Irregularities 1. If a student or an external student is guilty of irregularities, the Examination Board will qualify the relevant course examination as NV (Not Valid) and may revoke the right of the person concerned to take one or more course or final examinations to be determined by the Examination Board, for a period to be determined by the Examination Board of no longer than one year (7.12b.2). 2. In case of a reasonable suspicion of irregularities during a course examination, the Examination Board may instigate an additional investigation, which is equivalent to the original examination. If this additional investigation is not passed, the result achieved for the relevant examination sitting will be discarded and the result of NG will be registered in Osiris. 3. If a student, on whom a sanction has been imposed on the grounds of the previous paragraph, is meanwhile deregistered as a student on his or her own request, the (remainder of the) sanction will as yet be imposed upon re-registration, if any. 4. If the irregularities are first discovered after the course or final examination has taken place, the Examination Board may withhold from the student concerned the diploma or the declaration as referred to in Article 33. The Examination Board may also determine that the diploma or declaration can only be presented to the student after renewed investigation for the units and in a manner to be determined by the Examination Board in accordance with paragraph Before making a decision pursuant to the foregoing paragraphs, the student shall be heard by at least 2 members of the Examination Board, and the contents of the interview will be put down in writing. The Examination Board shall inform the student of its decision, which includes the report, as soon as possible but within two weeks of the moment of hearing the student at the latest, if possible orally and in any case in writing. 6. The Examination Board Chair may advise the Faculty Director to permanently terminate the registration of the student concerned if: 1. a student has previously been found guilty of irregularities and, therefore, admittance to course examinations was denied to him or her for at least 6 months, or: 2. a student has been found guilty of such serious irregularities and involving such aggravating circumstances, that this sanction is deemed justified. Aggravating circumstances in any case apply: a. in case of threats and/or violence; b. if the student tries to obtain ECs on the basis of forged documents; if, prior to the examination, the student is in the possession of materials related to a (part of a) course examination or final examination and/or the answers and criteria thereof, without approval. The discontinuation shall take effect on the first day of the following month. The student cannot (re-)register for the same study programme. 28/39

29 Article 30 Facilities 1. A student with a physical limitation and/or a chronic illness shall, in all reasonableness, be entitled to appropriate facilities for participating in the education and the taking of course and final examinations 22. The student counsellor may support the student in arranging this The student concerned may request the Examination Board to provide a facility with regard to the provisions in the previous paragraph. A request should be submitted to the Examination Board, and include the reasons and documentary evidence, if possible. 3. The Examination Board shall inform the student of its decision in writing. A copy of this decision shall be stored by the Examination Board for the study programme for which the student has registered. 4. When granted, a facility for the reasons of a functional limitation and/or a chronic illness as referred to in paragraph 1, applies to every subsequent course or final examination for the study programme, unless the decision of the Examination Board clearly states otherwise. The student shall also be entitled to the same facility with regard to a course or final examination for another study programme, provided the following conditions are met: a. the Examination Board for the other study programme has been notified of the facility granted in a timely manner, at the latest at the time of registration for the course or final examination; b. the student is able to produce, on request, the written decision that demonstrates that the facility has been granted; c. the Examination Board as referred to under a. has not refused the facility concerned. A motivated refusal must be announced to the student in writing before the course or final examination takes place. 22 Physical limitation and/or chronic illness may be interpreted as: asthma, auditive disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, dyslexia, eplipsy, multiple physical abilities, motory disorders, kidney disorders, mental disorders, back pain, rheumatic complaints, muscle diseases, speech impairment, visual disability, RSI and whiplash. A disability may depending on the circumstances of each case grant a facility as referred to in this article. 23 For more information, see the Onbelemmerd Studeren (studying without limitations) on Sharepoint. 29/39

30 Article 31 Exemptions 1. On the written request of the student, and with due consideration of the procedural provisions in the study guide, the Examination Board may grant an exemption from taking one or more (part) course examinations. An exemption can only be granted on the basis of: a. successfully passed course or final examinations for prior education that give access to the study programme for which the student has registered, as included in Chapter 10, or b. successfully passed course or final examinations for accredited study programmes, or equivalent study programmes. A study programme is considered to be equivalent to an accredited study programme if: - it has been accredited or similarly recognised by an independent body as appointed by one of the ministries, and/or: - the successful completion of the study programme leads to a legally recognised degree or admission to an occupation, also including the admission to a protected occupation, and/or: - it concerns a special (group of) study programmes, that do not meet the abovementioned criteria but for which the external quality assurance is sufficiently adequate, if this has been included in Chapter 10. c. knowledge and experience acquired in a different manner than referred to in subs a and b cannot lead to exemption. Whether the relevant course also allows for learning-path independent examinations, is laid down in the study guide (Chapter 9, course description). 2. The student who wishes to be considered for one or more exemptions should submit a motivated request to the Examination Board. The request shall be undersigned and comprises: - the student s name, address, and student registration number; - a description of the grounds on which the exemption is requested; - if possible, underlying documentation from which the content of the completed course(s) can be construed 24 ; - if possible, from which course(s) exemption is requested; - a certified copy of the diploma(s), list(s) of marks or evidence of previously taken course examinations. 3. The Examination Board shall decide on the request within 3 weeks after the date of receipt of the request. If one or more exemptions are granted, the Examination Board will ensure that these shall be registered in OSIRIS, 3 weeks after the decision by the Examination Board at the latest An exemption may be granted if: a. the student s competences acquired during a prior education or course or final examinations taken elsewhere through accredited education as referred to in paragraph 1, subs a and b of this article, are at least equal to the level and content of the competences taught in the course from which exemption is requested; b. the course(s) on the basis of which an exemption is requested, have been taken or acquired no longer than five years before the start of the study programme. The Examination Board is authorised to grant exemption on the basis of older courses if it is demonstrated that the contents of the previously acquired competences are still equivalent to those to be acquired in the courses for which exemption is requested For instance, a course description or study guide which describes the knowledge, skills, and competences that were examined. 25 As of 1 September 2011, exemptions on the grounds of formal education are registered as VRY-O. 26 This is also referred to as an examination of current value, which means that the Examination Board shall also motivate any 30/39

31 The Examination Board shall include in its decision its motivations and the grounds on which the exemption is granted or refused. A copy of the decision will be kept in the student s file. 5. An exemption is valid for six years, unless the study guide states a deviating period of validity for the course examination for which the exemption is granted in accordance with Article 19, paragraph 5. In that case, the period of validity of the exemption equals the period of validity of the relevant course examination as set in the study guide. On the request of the student, the Examination Board may extend this period of validity, or demand an additional or replacement course examination in case the period of validity of the exemption has passed. If the curriculum for the study programme is modified, it shall be indicated in the study guide for the study programme as to how the exemptions shall be dealt with that were granted from courses that are no longer part of the curriculum. 6. On the grounds of a proper comparison of (part of) prior education or an accredited study programme as referred to in paragraph 1, subs a and b of this article with the curriculum of its own study programme, the Examination Board may decide to grant exemptions to all students who have completed the relevant study programme or part thereof. The Examination Board may draw up a general decision to that end, which must be properly motivated and updated on an annual basis. If a student who completed (a part of) the relevant study programme submits a request for exemption(s), the Examination Board shall verify which results were achieved and, under referral to the general decision, which exemption(s) will be granted. This individual decision and a photocopy of the general decision will be kept in the student s file. 7. The procedure for submitting the request for exemption(s) is further regulated in the study guide and/or Chapter 10. Article 32 Storing course and final examination work 1. All final and course examination work shall be stored for a period of at least six months after the publication of the results, extended to seven years in case of electronic storage. For graduation assignments, a period of two years after graduation applies, extended to seven years in case of electronic storage. In case of an appeal against the result of a final or course examination, the relevant final or course examination work shall at least be stored for as long as the decision on that appeal has not been made. 2. The relevant Departmental Board shall ensure that exemptions granted on the basis of the results of assessments related to final and course examinations that were successfully passed, as well as documents concerning the registration as a student and the documents relating to the issue of diplomas or certificates as referred to in Article 33, will be stored for a period of 30 years, this in accordance with the HU Student Privacy Regulations. exemptions granted on the basis of courses older than 5 years. 31/39

32 3. When a student submits a request for the return of his or her work before the end of the period for the storage of the questions, assignments, and course examination (parts) completed, this request shall only be granted after the storage term has passed. Meanwhile, the student shall be entitled to obtain a paid copy of the course and examination work that he or she has handed in, once it has been assessed. 32/39

33 8 CERTIFICATES AND TITLES Article 33 Certificates 1. As evidence of a successfully passed final examination, a certificate shall be presented by the Examination Board, after the Institutional Board has declared that the procedural requirements for the certificate issue have been met. Certificates shall at least be undersigned by the Examination Board Chair and one of its members. 2. The diploma for a successfully passed final examination shall at least include ( ): a. the name of the institution and the study programme concerned, as entered in the Central Register of Higher Education Study Programmes. If it concerns a joint study programme or a joint specialisation programme as referred to in Article 7.3c of the Act, the name of the institution or, in the case of a joint study programme, institutions which was or were partly responsible for the study or specialisation programme 27 ; b. which courses the final examination comprised and, in certain cases, which legal authority this entails; c. (insofar as applicable) which degree has been awarded; d. on what date the study programme has most recently been accredited or which assessment the new study programme has successfully passed. 3. The person who is entitled to the presentation of a diploma may request the Examination Board to not present it yet, according to the rules to be determined by the Institutional Board (7.11.3). If after the date on which the diploma could have been presented a second specialisation within the same study programme is successfully completed, the date stated on the diploma will be the date of the final examination for the second specialisation. If course examinations are taken that are not associated with the study programme, the date of the last course examination stated on the diploma will not be modified. Additional course examinations taken (for which all part-examinations have been passed) will be included in a declaration, which shall be attached to the diploma. 4. A supplement shall be attached to the certificate. This supplement shall be drawn up in the English language and shall meet the agreed European format. This supplement aims to provide insight into the nature and content of the study programme completed, also in view of the international recognisability of study programmes. The supplement shall in any case include the following details: a. the title of the study programme and the institution that provides it; b. the statement that it concerns higher professional education; c. the statement that it concerns a master s degree programme; d. a description of the content of the study programme; e. the study load of the study programme. (7.11.4) Completed courses that are not included in the examination programme, will not be mentioned in this supplement but will be included in a separate declaration. 5. The date on which the last course examination was held, shall be the date on which the final 27 This is stated on a joint degree with another national or international higher education institution. 33/39

34 examination was taken, unless the final examination included a final additional investigation. In the latter case, the final examination shall be deemed to have been taken on the date of that additional investigation. The date on which the final examination was passed can, furthermore, be deferred on the grounds of the provisions in paragraph The date as referred to in the previous paragraph shall be stated in the diploma, unless the Examination Board decides not to do so yet, on the grounds of a written and motivated request submitted by the student in a timely fashion but in any case no later than one week before this date. Further regulations in this respect shall be included in the study guide. 7. The person who has successfully passed more than one course examination (after weighing all the part-examinations) and to whom no certificate as referred to in the second paragraph can be presented, or who in accordance with the last sentence of paragraph 3 of this article has taken additional course examinations, shall on request receive a declaration to be issued by the relevant Examination Board, which in any case shall include the course examinations that were successfully passed by the student. ( ) 8. The procedure for obtaining a diploma attached to the final examination shall be included in the study guide and/or Chapter 10. Article 34 Degrees and titles 1. On the basis of the authority granted by the Executive Board, the Examination Board awards the master s degree to the person who has successfully passed the final examination for a study programme. A specification of the subject or the professional field to which the degree relates may be added to the degree (7.10a). 2. The person who has been awarded a degree as referred to in the previous paragraph, is entitled to use the master s degree, abbreviated to M (with the addition referred to in the previous paragraph, if any), which abbreviation is placed after the name (7.19a). Article 35 Graduating 'with distinction' or 'with merit' 1. The designation cum laude shall be recorded on the certificate for a final examination if the student satisfies all of the following requirements: a. a final mark of at least 6.0 before rounding up was awarded for all of the courses completed (excluding exemptions) within the study programme; b. The weighted arithmetical average 28 for all final assessments in the study programme (excluding exemptions) was at least 8.0 before rounding up; c. The final assessment for the graduation project or final thesis was at least before rounding up. d. The student was not registered for the course for longer than the standard study period, which is calculated on the basis of the standard duration of the standard curriculum. 28 The weighted average is to be understood as the sum of the product of the credits and the marks per course, divided by thet total number of credits for all courses. 29 The components of the graduation assignment or final thesis are described in the study guide for the study programme. To clarify, in cases where the standard duration of a study programme is modified during the student's period of enrolment: If the standard duration of a study programme of 90 ECs in the first year is changed to 30 ECs in that first year and 60 ECs in the second, the total standard duration will thus be 2 years. 34/39

35 2. The designation with merit shall be recorded on the certificate for a final examination if the student satisfies all of the following requirements: a. a final mark of at least 6.0 before rounding up was awarded for all of the courses completed within the study programme (excluding exemptions); b. The weighted arithmetical average for all final assessments in the study programme (excluding exemptions) was at least 7.0 before rounding up; c. The final assessment for the graduation project or final thesis was at least 7.0 before rounding up. d. The student was not registered for the course for longer than the standard study period, which is calculated on the basis of the standard duration of the standard curriculum. 3. In the calculation as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the Examination Board will take into account any non-numerical results in the way referred to in Chapter 10, with the exception of the results expressed as Pass and Fail, which results are excluded from the calculation as referred to in paragraphs 1 and Any additional ECs achieved are not taken into consideration for a designation as referred to in paragraphs 1 and Students who were granted through exemptions 50% or more of the total number of ECs to be attained for the relevant study programme are not eligible for a designation as referred to in paragraphs 1 and If the duration of registration as referred to in paragraph 1 and 2 is longer than the standard study period of the standard curriculum due to one or more of the following circumstances: a. illness; b. physical, sensory, or any other functional limitation; c. pregnancy; d. special circumstances, including the special circumstances of the partner whom the requester shares a home or has a LAT (living apart together) relationship with; e. the membership of the Central Advisory Council and/or a Representative Advisory Board and/or a Study Programme Committee; f. any other circumstances indicated by the Faculty Director in which the requester performs activities within the scope of the organisation and the management of the affairs of the faculty or university; g. the membership of the board of a student organisation that has been recognised by the Executive Board, pursuant to the HU Student Support Fund (Profileringsfonds), or a similar organisation of a substantial size; h. any other situation beyond the student's control, such as to be assessed by the Examination Board, due to which the student was unable to take course examinations or participate in the education upon which those were based, the Examination Board may decide that the student nevertheless may be considered for a designation with merit or cum laude. In this respect, the other requirements mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2 apply in full. 7. Decisions concerning a designation are made on the basis of the results as entered in OSIRIS before rounding up. The results listed in the diploma supplement as referred to in Article 33, paragraph 4, may be rounded to whole numbers. 8. The regulations in this article are solely applicable to students who enrolled in their study programme for the first time on, or after, 1 September /39

36 9 CLOSING STATEMENTS Article 36 Objection procedure 1. Against a decision with legal consequences taken by the examiner or the Examination Board, or the failure to take such a decision, the (prospective) student may: - submit a letter of objection to the faculty-based Legal Protection Desk; or - submit a letter of objection directly to the Examination Board in accordance with the procedure described below. The Examination Board can solely to the benefit of the student deviate from this procedure or not apply parts of it. If so desired, the student may later appeal against the decision within in period of 6 weeks, in accordance with the procedure described in Chapter 9 of the Student Legal Protection Regulations. 2. A letter of objection should be submitted electronically or in writing. The letter should be received by the faculty-based Legal Protection Desk or the Examination Board within 2 weeks after the announcement of the decision to the student. The faculty-based Legal Protection Desk shall be responsible for the forwarding of the letter to the Examination Board for their settlement. If the letter of objection is not received in time, the body dealing with the objection may still decide to take it into consideration if they deem it necessary to do so. If not, the letter shall be forwarded to the HU Student Legal Protection Desk. 3. If a letter of objection has been forwarded to the Examination Board through the faculty-based Legal Protection Desk, the Examination Board shall inform the faculty-based Legal Protection Desk about the date of settlement. 4. The letter of objection shall be undersigned 30 and shall include at least: - the name, address details and student registration number of the sender; - the reasons for the objection; - a clear description, including the date, of the decision that is objected against together with a copy of the decision. The student may use the standard form to submit the letter of objection. 5. The Examination Board shall send the sender confirmation of the receipt of the letter of objection within one week. If need be, this confirmation shall be accompanied by a request for further details to the letter of objection if the requirements as listed in paragraph 4 have not been met. 6. A letter of objection shall in any case be declared inadmissible if: - it has not been submitted within the period as referred to in paragraph 2; - the requirements as mentioned in paragraph 4 have not been met, and if upon a request as referred to in paragraph 5 the omission(s) remain. 7. If a letter of objection has been received after the period as referred to in paragraph 2, the letter shall not be declared inadmissible if the sender is able to show that the letter of objection was submitted as soon as could reasonably be expected. 8. If the objection is against the untimely taking of a decision, no term applies. However, the letter of objection shall be declared inadmissible if it has been submitted unreasonably late. 30 If the letter of objection is submitted electronically, the student s signature is not necessary. 36/39

37 9. The Examination Board may give the sender of the letter of objection the opportunity to be heard in regard of the objections made. In that case, the sender will be informed of that opportunity or invited to a hearing in a timely fashion. 10. If the objection is made against a decision of an examiner, the Examination Board shall give this examiner the opportunity to respond to the objection in writing. If the objection is made against an assessment, the examiner shall be responsible for the decision-making with regard to determining the result 31. If the examiner is also a member of the Examination Board, the examiner shall refrain from participation in the meetings that are part of the relevant procedure. 11. The Examination Board shall inform the sender of its decision on the objection in writing 32, within 2 weeks after the receipt of the letter of objection. This decision shall be based on a renewed assessment and shall be properly motivated 33. In urgent cases, the (deputy) Chair may take provisional measures. 12. If the Examination Board foresees that it will not be able to take a decision within the specified term, it shall inform the sender thereof within 2 weeks after the receipt of the letter of objection. The Board should then state the term within which it will make its decision, and the reasons for the delay. 13. The decision shall point out to the student the possibility of appeal and the applicable period for lodging the appeal. 14. Within 6 weeks after the date of the decision on an objection as referred to in paragraph 11 of this article, the student may lodge an appeal with the Examinations Appeals Board or the Disputes Committee by submitting a letter of appeal through the HU Student Legal Protection Desk, as laid down in the HU Student Legal Protection Regulations. 15. The summer break, as annually determined in accordance with the HU Student Legal Protection Regulations, shall also apply to this objection procedure, that is to say that the terms are suspended during the holiday period. Article 37 Further HU regulations In the further regulations for education, course examinations and final examinations as laid down in the study guide, the HU EER, other internal university regulations, and the relevant laws and legislation stipulated by the government, shall be followed. Article 38 Unforeseen circumstances In cases for which these regulations do not provide and which demand an immediate decision, the decision lies with the Faculty Director. If the Faculty Director needs the Examination Board to advise him or her, the Chair of the Examination Board will be contacted to that end. The interested parties, as well as the Examination Board, shall be informed of the decision forthwith. 31 This is an autonomous authority of the examiner; the Examination Board is not authorised to determine a mark, but it can deal with objections regarding procedural aspects. 32 If the decision on the letter of objection is sent electronically, a scanned signature will be placed under the decision. 33 For more information about the HU objection and appeal procedures and a further explanation about the possibility of a provisional measure, please check 37/39

38 Article 39 Implementation 1. These HU EER for master s degree programmes will take effect on 1 September These regulations may be referred to as HU Education and Examination Regulations for master s degree programmes or as HU EER for master s degree programmes. 38/39

39 10 SPECIFIC FACULTY RELATED PROVISIONS See tab student en onderwijs for all specific faculty related provisions. 39/39